nature inspired: biophilic design
The Academy on Mapleton Hill is a world class, continuum care facility which hosts independent and assisted living, rehabilitation therapy, and memory care in Boulder’s Mapleton community. With a focus on elevating residents everyday experience, our design team applied biophilic design patterns—flexible and replicable strategies for reconnecting people with nature and enhancing their experience. Research indicates biophilic design can reduce stress, enhance creativity and clarity of thought, improve well-being, and expedite healing. The biophilic design patterns applied to the community design of The Academy on Mapleton Hill include direct visual connections with nature through courtyards designed to capture many different elements of the natural environment, connection to natural systems through colorful gardens that consist of vegetation appealing to pollinators, water features that capitalize on the multi-sensory attributes of water to promote soothing experiences, and biomorphic forms and patterns that provide representational design elements within the built environment that allow residents to make connections to nature.